Are Grills Worth The Trouble?

[Sea Wolf]

Cooking in the galley in the fall, winter and spring is ok, depending on where you live, but it surely can get hot in there at times. We ALWAYS had a grill, but used propane and it was rectangular. Here’s a tip: have a tray deep enough and big enough to hold the grill plate. Fill the tray with water deep enough to cover the grill plate and add dish detergent Once you take the meat/veggies or whatever off the grill. Lift the hot grill plate and put it in the water to soak. By the time you finish eating, it will be easy to clean. When we sold out boat, our grill was 10+ years old and the grill plate was still shiny and clean.

[A CheeseHead]

I lacked a boat (I raced other people's) but I owned a 2-flat & lived in the upstairs unit. It came with a little balcony off the living/dining room that had a railing built of 2x4s, so I bought a Magma that I clamped to the railing and cantilevered over the yard below xo I could cook without jeopardizing the house. I used it frequently, until we sold the house.

When we finally bought a new house (many times larger that the old place), I bought the legs that enabled the Magma to stand on the sidewalk where it was a PITA to use, for I wasn't all that keen on squatting down to cook. SWMBO insisted on a 'real' grill, so we have a 'normal' sized Weber and the Magma lives in its original bag, hanging in the garage.

I miss it, for it was the perfect size for cooking for two people (daughter having grown up, relocated to another state, & married). Had I a boat (I still race 'em for others) I'd have it working again.

[Islandloafer]

I have had one for 10 years. I bought a replacement regulator last year on Amazon, and it made a huge difference, working much better than it ever did, even when new. I can’t remember the increase in btus, but it was significant. The regulator body is painted blue.

[StuartWeibel]

I have a one burner Iwatani cassette stove (you will have seen them as omelet cook stations in restaurants, hotels, and receptions) as my only cooking device. It generates 15,000 BTUs and handily heats a cast iron grill pan (the bottom of the pan is comprised of parallel ridges). The cassettes... disposable cans... is among the most economical way to buy butane... about $2 a can at any restaurant supply store.

The cans last 3 or 4 days, even as my only cooking device for two people. It is easy to carry 3 months supply, even on my 26 foot Atkins gaffer.

The high output burner easily heats the grill pan hot enough to outperform any marine grill I've seen, and there is no ugly blob of dirty chrome hanging from a rail. The stove is light, easily movable from galley to cockpit, and it simmers nicely as well. About a hundred bucks.

[Gerrit Coetzee]

Originally Posted by cal40john

Seems like a personal choice. If grilling is important to you and you don't like this one, get a better grill.

If you don't care about grilling throw it away.

Agree

[Tonali99]

I don't see the problem with the grill. I've had three due to the burners rusting out as well as some mounting parts. On that, when off the boat for repairs/refit I made a stand to use in the apt. we rented.
I also have two propane 20 pounders. Hooked the grill to one of those too. Why cook down below when and heat it up when it's nice outside?

[Gerrit Coetzee]

Originally Posted by Oeanda

The gas fired Magma has some pretty dark reviews. We have the charcoal version. It’s great when we... want to grill something. The rest of the time it just sits there harmlessly.

I am fortunate to have both. I love the ambiance of ambiance of a 🔥fire, and makes food taste different, especially when using certain timbers. Down side, I had sparks escaping and scouring the deck fibreglass. The charcoal and ash is an inconvenience to clean.

Gas is good alternative. Tastes very similar. The mess afterwards almost equal pain to clean. Will I go without? no, not me. I prefer to have the options.

All up to personal preference.

[Tonali99]

Originally Posted by Gerrit Coetzee

I am fortunate to have both. I love the ambiance of ambiance of a 🔥fire, and makes food taste different, especially when using certain timbers. Down side, I had sparks escaping and scouring the deck fibreglass. The charcoal and ash is an inconvenience to clean.

Gas is good alternative. Tastes very similar. The mess afterwards almost equal pain to clean. Will I go without? no, not me. I prefer to have the options.

All up to personal preference.

The fire marshall may take umbridge with an open fire. Just toss a few wood chips around.

[theBigKahuna]

Odd, I too have a Magma and my wife and I agree it's better than any grill we ever had on land.... and we had numerous. Ours came with the boat and is a size up from the kettle though.

You'd have to pry it from my cold dead hands! Scratch that... my burnt dead hands and the grill is always in use!

Cheers
jBrad
sv Fuzzy Logic

[sailcrazy]

We are a monohull sailboat, with a sugar-scoop transom....the only place to mount a BBQ is on the aft side rail. and that means on anchor or mooring, with the bow into the wind, the grill is always exposed to whatever wind there is. We had a barrel-shaped Force 10-and the wind always blew the flame out. We bought a rectangular-shaped grill, that works very well....when there is little or no breeze. But when the wind is up over 10 kts, almost always here in the Caribb, even though the flame stays lit the temp hardly gets hot enough to grill. We looked at the Weber Q, but the big opening on each side-for the fold out tables- seemed to be a guaranteed way to keep the inside temp cool/blow out the flame with the grill mounted on a side rail. The circular Magma looked good, had the highest BTU/sq inch rating of any we good find, and (having NOT seen this blog beforehand) we just bought one!! And then we saw these reviews! Does anyone know of ANY small grill(were only 2 onboard) that works when exposed to a side ways (exposed end) 10-15kts breeze? We do love to grill, but taking 20-30 minutes+ to grill a thin pork chop is not a real solution!

[Mjames]

Our kettle Magma sits comfortably on our stern rail lower than dinghy raised on Atlantic Tower arch and davits. It can still be a pain at times, but- we do love to grill and where it is located, when we are anchor with bow into wind, never had a problem with it not heating or blowing out. One suggestion; get reusable copper grilling mats. They make an amazing difference on clean up. we use them on boat and home grill and grill stays way cleaner, food still gets grill marks, etc. distributes heat and cleans well if oiled before using. And if you are storing those small green propane tanks, get brass screw on tops for propane safety.

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by Little Wing MDR

I just bought a boat that came with a Magma Kettle Grill. We cooked out last weekend and I was a bit underwhelmed.

Originally Posted by evm1024

+ 1 here. We have a Sea-B-Que and it works better in the wind than any other I've used.

My experience with Magma grills is consistently poor. The flame doesn't have to blow out many times before confidence wanes. If a delivery boat has a Magma I generally bury it somewhere and put it back when we arrive. There are much better alternatives.

I spent my money on a Dickenson Sea-B-Que, plumbed to the main propane tanks. That grill is now about fifteen years old and used pretty regularly, including as a second cooking surface to our big Weber at home. In addition to the stereotypical hamburgers, chicken, and steak it has cranked out roast pork loin, lasagna, and bread.

If there is a decent grill, on light air days on delivery burger night on the grill with aluminum foil packet "oven" fries is a treat, a social lubricant, and keeps heat out of the boat.

In my opinion a grill is not a necessity. It is however much better than a perk and a useful addition to galley tools.

[Bill Seal]

Go to a welding supply (or Harbor Freight) and get a set of torch tip cleaners to keep the regulator orifice from getting gunked up from salt air.

[TMarvin]

I use mine all the time here on the TX coast

[jerrypeters]

Gas maybe if you don't have much wind. Charcoal never. The first breeze will have you scrubbing decks, upholstery, lines, lockers and anything else within 10 meters of the damn thing. IMHO